Ruby Resort
by ShellGrad
Summary: 2 cases. 2 cities. Jane has to work with the team to stop a new serial killer while Lisbon is gone. What will happen when an old case rears it's ugly head at the same spa resort Lisbon is staying at? Rating change possible but not anticipated.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Mentalist.**

**So, here's the prologue to my newest story. I still have many others that don't have enough backbone to them for me to publish but they're getting there. Let me know what you think. There will be more substance to the chapters than there is in this prologue.**

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><p><em><strong>Prologue<strong>_

Lisbon stepped out into the bullpen. "Hey, Cho, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure thing, Boss."

She nodded and retreated back into her office.

"What? We're not invited to the pow-wow?" Jane mumbled from his couch.

Cho said nothing, choosing not to encourage him, and headed to Lisbon's office. "You wanted to see me?" He asked from the door.

She looked up from the paper she had just signed. "Yeah, could you close the door?"

He did as she asked and sat down in front of her desk. "Is something wrong, Boss?"

"No, Cho," she smiled. "Don't worry, you're not in trouble. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be gone next week and I'm putting you in charge."

"Okay."

"Okay," she smiled and he left for the bullpen.

"What was that all about?" Rigsby asked after Cho had sat back down at his desk and resumed his paperwork.

"Lisbon's going to be gone next week and she's putting me in charge."

"Gone?" Jane sat up.

"Yep, nothing slips past you."

"Where?" Van Pelt asked, confused.

"Don't know."

"How can you not know?" Rigsby asked, confused as well.

"Didn't ask."

"Why not?" Jane asked urgently.

Cho finally looked up to see all three staring at him, trying to solve the Lisbon puzzle. He looked Jane in the eye. "It's none of my business."

Van Pelt turned to glare at Jane, who raised his hands defensively. "Don't look at me. If I'd done anything to get her suspended, I guarantee you I would have heard it by now."

"She's not suspended," Cho piped up.

"And how do you know that?" Rigsby asked, disbelieving.

"She was too happy for it to be a suspension," Cho answered.

"No, it was planned. She _knew_ she'd be gone next week. If she was suspended, it would have started immediately." He stood without warning and went to Lisbon's office. He entered without knocking, as per usual, and closed the door behind him before taking a seat in front of Lisbon's desk.

"Hey Jane," she greeted without taking her eyes away from the computer. She didn't notice when he didn't answer but continued to stare at her wordlessly. "I'm actually glad you came in here. I was wondering if you would do me a favor."

"A favor, Lisbon? From me?" He grinned at her cheekily.

"Yeah, could you drive me to the airport Sunday?" She asked, ignoring his cheekiness.

"_You_ want _me_ to drive you to the airport?" He looked at her disbelievingly.

She thought it over for a minute. "You're right. I'll take a cab. It's safer."

"I'll drive you, Lisbon. I'm just wondering why you chose me when you complain every time I drive."

"Well I can't very well choose Van Pelt, now can I? She's liable to hug me in the airport before I board the plane." She wrinkled her nose in disapproval.

"Rigsby?" He prompted.

"Yeah, I don't think he'd be completely comfortable with that," she mused.

"And Cho?"

"He'll have enough on his plate once I'm gone."

"Why are you leaving, Lisbon?" He finally asked. She obviously wasn't going to spill the information on her own and he needed to know. Merely to satisfy his curiosity, of course.

"I'm taking a vacation."

"You don't take vacations."

"I don't really have a choice. My brothers all chipped in to reserve me a room for 6 days, 7 nights at a spa resort for my birthday."

A whole week without Lisbon? Jane looked up to see Lisbon staring at him. "What?"

"So will you drive me to the airport on Sunday or should I call a cab?"

"It would be my pleasure, Lisbon." He gave her his most charming smile.


	2. Sunday

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Mentalist.**

**Excited about the reviews I've gotten so far! You guys are awesome :) I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter. I'm excited about this story :D But, you won't get any spoilers out of me!**

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><p>Jane put the car in park outside the entrance to the airport and turned to look at Lisbon in the passenger seat. She looked excited about leaving, not that he could blame her. She really needed the rest and relaxation. It almost made him feel a little guilty about not wanting her to leave. "So, got everything?"<p>

"Yeah, think so." She turned her smile toward him. "Now, be good for Cho."

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mom. Have fun and try to relax. And no working," he called out as she stepped out and shut the car door. He returned her smirk as she gave a small wave and headed into the terminal.

A musical sound diverted his attention from her retreating back. He reached into his vest pocket for his ringing cell phone. "Hello?"

"Jane," Cho's voice sounded through the other end of the phone. "Dead guy found in William Land Park. Where are you?"

"Just outside of Sac Executive Airport. I'll meet you there." He sighed and turned the car in the direction of the park. He didn't need to see the plane leave the runway, didn't need to see her board, didn't need to see her leave him behind.

He chastised himself and forced his eyes to focus on the road signs he sped past. She needed this more than he needed her to stay. Not that he _needed_ her to stay, per se. It was just that a week was a long time and who was he going to talk to for a week? Van Pelt? Sure, the rookie was fun to pester, as was Rigsby, but she didn't really banter. None of them really bantered, at least not in the same way that Lisbon did. Cho came the closest but it still wasn't the same. If she didn't seem to enjoy it as much as he did, he'd think she was merely indulging him. But, alas, her smile was too genuine to not enjoy their quips.

A smile graced his features as he remembered the smile she'd graced him with before leaving. His smile left as quickly as it had come at the thought she wouldn't be at that scene, wouldn't be grumbling about how little sleep she got or how Sunday was supposed to be a day of rest or even about the fact that criminals never rested. She wasn't going to do any of that because she wasn't going to be there. She wouldn't be there for a whole week.

He put the car in park and sighed again. He had a feeling he'd be doing that a lot in the coming week. He walked toward the dead body, showing the local officers his CBI badge before ducking under the yellow tape. He took in all the details of the victim as he waited for the others to arrive.

"What do you got, Jane?" Cho asked when he arrived, taking out a small notepad and pen.

"Middle-aged businessman. As close to your average American as you can get. Married, probably has kids. Nothing spectacular about him at all. Probably won't find any viable leads. This man was not killed because of something he did. It's too clean and precise. Personal is sloppy," he declared, looking up at them when his speech was finished.

"So, you think we're looking at a serial killer?" Van Pelt asked.

"There are no other murders with the same MO," Rigsby pointed out.

"Serial killers have to start somewhere," Jane countered.

Cho chose that moment to cut in. "We don't know anything yet. Serial killers have to kill more than once to be serial killers."

"_Potential_ serial killer then," Jane amended.

"Either way, let's stop this guy before he does it again," Cho finished.

"No pools of blood," Rigsby pointed out. "Body wasn't killed here."

"Rigsby, Jane, go talk to the wife. Van Pelt and I will head back to CBI and find what we can," Cho instructed. "I hate getting a case this late in the day. No one can ever be found."

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><p>"So, Lisbon caught her flight in time?" Van Pelt asked as Jane sighed, giving the flying plane outside the window a forlorn look from his spot on the leather couch and resumed sipping his tea.<p>

"Yep." He set his teacup on his unused desk and lay down on the couch, closing his eyes. He glanced at the glass office through barely open eyes before turning in the opposite direction, listening to the tapping of fingers on keyboards, answering of phones, and scratching of pens.

"Alright, guys, we're not going to find this guy tonight. Let's go home and sleep on it. Tomorrow, we'll pick up where we left off." Van Pelt and Rigsby stood and gathered their things at Cho's dismissal. Jane said nothing, only giving a small wave at Van Pelt's soft " 'Night, Jane."

He waited until he heard the elevator doors close before opening his cell phone and dialing a familiar number.

"Hi, Jane." Lisbon cradled her cell phone between her ear and her shoulder as she heaved the suitcase onto the bed.

He grinned at the happy – albeit exhausted – sound of her voice. "Hey, Lisbon. All settled in, I take it?"

"I just got in, actually." She unzipped the suitcase.

"How was your flight?"

She took her toiletries to the bathroom. "Good, nothing too spectacular. Checking into the resort took longer than I expected."

"How so?"

Lisbon shrugged, forgetting he couldn't see it. "Some computer mix-up with the room my brothers reserved for me."

"Mix-up, huh?"

"Yeah, it was a little weird but I'm sure it happens." She took out her jersey and set the suitcase on the floor.

"And as the saint you are, you let the other person have your room, didn't you?"

She blushed. "I doubt my brothers would really mind that much."

He noted the somber tone in her voice. "Still haven't been able to get in touch with them?"

She sighed and let herself fall onto the bed with a thud. "No. They at least deserved a thank you. I know they aren't all that comfortable with things like that, but still."

"Sounds like a family trait," he murmured.

"So how are things going?"

"Lisbon," he warned.

"Oh, come on, Jane. I turned off my email alerts. My office phone is not set to go to my cell. Everyone knows I'm on vacation. If you don't tell me what's going on, I'll be forced to watch the news."

He chuckled. "Okay, I'll make you a deal. I'll tell you every night what's going on if you simply do nothing but relax for the next week."

"Deal. So, do you guys have a new case? Or did you get a new lead in an old case?"

"You're a little too excited over murder. Very morbid, Lisbon," he tsked good-naturedly.

She huffed in frustration. "I should have known you wouldn't keep up your end of the deal."

He could almost imagine her bottom lip poking out in an adorable pout. "Aw, Lisbon, have I broken it? I was merely commenting on your odd enthusiasm for your job. I had every intention of telling you what you want to know."

"Really?"

He shook his head at her skeptical tone. He could practically see the raised eyebrow. "Absolutely. As a matter of fact, we got a case right before I pulled away from the terminal after dropping you off."

"That soon?"

"Yep. Be glad you aren't here. I know how much you hate serial killers."

"You guys have a serial killer? Who is it?"

"Well, technically there was only one body and there are no other records of this MO."

"Then what makes it a serial killer?"

"We're not going to find the killer in this guy's life. Sure, we'll find people who may have wanted him dead but no one that killed him. No, this wasn't personal. It was way too clean."

"And revenge is sloppy," she sighed. "You're right. What does Cho think?"

"The team doesn't think it can be a serial killer since it's only one body and unconnected to other MO's."

"It has to start somewhere. There always has to be a first body," she argued.

He smiled at how she was on the same page as him even when she was so far away. "Don't get too riled up, Lisbon. They'll come around. Cho's being as diplomatic as ever. He didn't completely dismiss my theory but said that if I _was_ right about this guy killing again then we can stop it from being a serial killer if we stop him."

"He's right, you know."

He smiled, glad he'd gotten her tone to sound more amused than angry. "I don't exactly have all the answers to every case we have, Lisbon. I have no idea what we're supposed to do this time."

She frowned at the fact he was more open when she wasn't there. "Jane, why are you telling me all of this?"

"Cho's no fun to talk to," he deflected.

"I meant – "

"I know what you meant, Lisbon. And if you were here, I'd tell you the same thing I'm telling you now. The crime scene guys aren't going to find anything. There will be no special weapon, no fingerprints, no DNA. The team is going to do what they normally do and find nothing important. And I have no plan. I'm not even certain what this guy's MO even really is."

"What do you mean?" Her brows furrowed together in confusion.

"There's nothing special about the murder. There's nothing special about the victim. There's no calling card."

"Well, think," she rolled over onto her stomach, swinging her feet in the air like she was a teenager again. "Did you find the body in a particular position?"

"No, it was just lying like a normal dead body in the park."

"In the park?"

"Yeah…"

"Which park?"

"William Land, why?"

"Maybe that's your clue."

"How is that a clue, Lisbon?"

"Hey, you never know. I worked a case when I was with Sac PD. It was a small serial killer case, only 5 or so murders. There was no connection between the victims, no evidence, no two victims killed the same way. We didn't know what to do. Anyway, long story short: the perp had a thing for concerts. He had no connection to the concerts, just liked the thrill of killing with so many oblivious witnesses around."

"That's an awfully weak connection."

"Eh," Lisbon shrugged, "A confession helps."

"From the smug tone of your voice, I take it you got that confession?"

"Oh, I'm the smug one? That's rich, coming from you. And, yes. For your information, I did get the confession."

He chuckled. "Well, as much as I hate to leave you, my dear, you are on vacation and should probably get some sleep."

"Says the insomniac," she quipped.

"Oh, I'm going to go to sleep to."

"Like I believe that."

"Just talking to you has put me in a comfortable mood to sleep, Lisbon."

"I'll pretend to believe you and be flattered. I'll also get off the phone and go to sleep if you promise to update me tomorrow."

"Only if I'm convinced you haven't been keeping up through the news."

She laughed. "Goodnight, Jane."

"Goodnight, Lisbon." He hung up the phone and looked around the empty office, suddenly feeling lonely. He hesitated only a moment before standing and walking to Lisbon's office. He swiftly picked the lock and lay down on the white couch. He'd wake up before anyone came in to see him sleeping to the closest connection he had to Lisbon while she was gone. He closed his eyes and breathed in the faint cinnamon scent. This was going to be a long week.

Lisbon hung up the phone and sighed. She got up to change before the luxurious bed became too comfortable. She undressed and put the jersey on, slipping under the covers. She sighed as she settled her head on the pillow. This was going to be a wonderful week.


	3. Monday

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Okay, readers, I'm trying something a little different. I know the breaks seem numerous but the point is to switch between Jane and Lisbon's point of the view of the day. Now, if you all don't really like it and would like more of a Jane's day then Lisbon's day or vice versa, then let me know and I'll do that for the next chapter.**

**As usual, thanks to all the lovely reviewers. I thank the readers as well though I have no idea how many read for a couple of days because fanfiction had another glitch or something. Without further adieu, I give you the next chapter!**

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><p>Monday<p>

Lisbon opened her eyes, immediately squinting in the bright morning light. She lay in bed and stared at the ceiling, fighting the instinct to get up and get ready for work. She had nothing to do today. She had nowhere to go. It was as liberating as it was boring. She didn't look at the cell phone laying on the nightstand. It wouldn't be holding any messages and she'd promised not to read the news. She sighed. Well, if there wasn't a plan set for her day, then she'd make one, she decided as she got out of bed and headed for the shower. Twenty minutes later, she was drying off and pulling on a tank top and a pair of shorts. First things first, coffee.

**RUBY RESORT**

Jane opened his eyes and glanced around the dark office, forgetting where he was for a moment. He sighed and allowed himself to lay still for a moment. Today would be day two without Lisbon, not that he was counting. A voice sounding remarkably similar to hers told him to look at the bright side. The bright side being, of course, that he could carry out whatever plan he wished and she wouldn't be there to stop him or yell at him. The wicked grin left as soon as it came. To carry out a plan, he would need a plan. To come up with a plan, he needed more information. He finally stood from the couch and placed the floored pillows in their rightful spots. Time to take Lisbon's advice on this one and look more into the park. But, first, a cup of tea. He set the door so it would lock behind him and headed for the break room. After all, it was one thing for him to use Lisbon's office while she was gone but it was totally unacceptable for anyone else to go in there while she was gone. The woman _did_ deserve _some_ privacy and respect.

**RUBY RESORT**

Lisbon sat on the bed and tucked her feet underneath her. She opened the brochure to the resort's spa. "Might as well take advantage while I'm here," she muttered as she flipped through the options. "Okay, there are way too many options here. Whatever happened to a basic massage?"

She paused at one of the packages. "Essential elements? Sounds simple. 'Scrub, wrap, or bath of choice; massage of choice; Las Palmas refresher facial…' Okay, let's pick one, then. Desert elements custom scrub…nah. Sea salt bath…might as well just jump in the ocean. Detoxifying mud wrap…Mud? Yeah, I don't think so. Arnica eucalyptus wrap…isn't that what koalas eat? Antioxidant rejuvenation wrap…hmm, maybe. Restorative coconut milk and honey wrap…" Somehow the idea sounded too…Jane. She shook her head. "Antioxidant it is, then."

She stood up from the bed, before remembering the brochure and resumed her previous position. "Almost forgot to choose a massage." She flipped through the choices. "Oasis Swedish massage…hmm, doesn't sound powerful enough for the stress Jane causes." She laughed a little to herself. "Tahquitz? What the hell is that? Yeah, I'm not so sure about choosing something I can't even pronounce. Deep canyon therapeutic massage…'deeper, healing massage'. Now, that's what I'm talking about. What else do they have? Mirage therapeutic stone massage…pay someone to put hot rocks on my back and roll them around? Yeah, I don't think so. Deep canyon it is."

She picked up her cell phone, ignoring the small disappointment she felt at having no messages, and dialed the spa's number. "Hi, I'd like to make an appointment."

**RUBY RESORT**

Jane washed his tea cup and put it back in its' rightful spot in the cupboard. He passed Cho getting settled in the bullpen on his way to the elevators. "Hey, where are you going?" Jane stopped when Cho called out.

"Oh, you know, just thought I'd take a walk in the park." Jane grinned cheekily at an unamused Cho. Thinking he was off the hook, he was about to make his escape when the agent's office phone rang and Cho held up a finger to the consultant, telling him to wait.

Jane shifted his weight from his heels to his toes as he rocked impatiently. Cho scribbled something on post-it and hung up the phone. Jane raised an eyebrow when the agent stood and put his jacket back on and retrieved his badge and gun. "Thought you weren't psychic. Dead body found in Discovery Park."

"Don't be silly," Jane chastised as they both walked toward the elevators. "There's no such thing as psychics."

**RUBY RESORT**

Lisbon looked at her watch as she chewed the last bite of her breakfast. She stood, deciding that she'd make it just in time for her spa appointment if she left now. Part of her was excited while the other part was a little skeptical of a stranger rubbing her and wrapping her in God only knows what. Well, this was what she was here for so might as well get her money's worth.

She walked up the front desk. "Hi, I have an appointment at 11."

"Yes, Ms. Lisbon. Please, right this way." The overly serene young woman behind the desk led her to a secluded room. "You may change behind there," she pointed to a dressing screen. "Your spa therapist will be here in a few moments. Enjoy your moments of bliss," she added with yet another serene smile before leaving.

"Someone's been taking too much Xanax," Lisbon muttered to herself as she did as she was told.

**RUBY RESORT**

Cho watched as Jane circled the body, leaning close to get a good look, before standing and beginning to make his way back to the car they'd shared on the drive over. "Hey," he called out, briefly stopping the consultant's journey. "Got anything?"

Jane contemplated for a moment. "Nope." He continued as he was.

"Jane!"

He sighed and made his way back over to Cho. "It's the serial killer."

"Different MO," Cho pointed out.

"Wrong, sir!" Jane nearly flicked his nose before deciding against it. An angry Lisbon may be fun but an angry Cho had no qualms about the consequences of seriously injuring the consultant.

"The last victim was a man, shot with a gun. This vic is a woman, stabbed. Unless there's a connection between them – "

"There isn't," Jane shook his head. "The connection is in the location."

"Different parks," Cho countered, tiring of the game but unwilling to stop lest Jane decide to withhold information.

"Ah, but parks," Jane pointed out with a smug smile. He'd have to remember to tell Lisbon she was right when he called later tonight. It was a small admission. After all, he _was_ right the majority of the time. He could afford to hand over the crown this once.

**RUBY RESORT**

Lisbon emerged from the dressing screen, a fluffy and luxurious towel wrapped around her. Not knowing what to do, she sat on the massage table to wait. A few minutes later, a woman stepped into the room.

"Hi. My name is Sofia and I will be your massage therapist today." She looked down at the clipboard in her hands. "I see you're getting the Essential Elements package today. Between you and me, I think it's the best deal. You get what you need without paying too much. So, looks like we'll start with the Antioxidant Rejuvenation Wrap. Have you ever had one before?"

"No, not really."

"Okay. What we'll do is take that towel off and I'm going to rub our antioxidant cream on you as a sort of mask. Then, we'll let it set for a little while so that the mask can pull out all of those toxins. Then, we'll rinse you off and apply a hydrating lotion before we move on to the massage."

"Okay, sounds good." Lisbon suddenly felt much more comfortable knowing what was going to happen. She already felt her body begin to relax. She removed her towel and focused on the tingling sensation of the cream as it was brushed on. She closed her eyes as Sofia left her alone for a few minutes under warm lights as the tingling cream did its' thing.

She let her mind drift to her brothers. She'd given up on reaching them since she arrived. She really wanted to thank them for the resort reservations. _Guess I'll just call them when I get back_ _at the end of the week_, Lisbon sighed.

Sofia came back with another woman who helped her sponge off the antioxidant cream. The sponge was surprisingly gentle and Lisbon began to wonder why she'd been worried about this in the first place. As Sofia began to apply the hydrating lotion, Lisbon let her thoughts drift to the team. What were they doing? How was their case going? Did she really leave them with a serial killer?

"Try to relax," Sofia instructed without pausing in her movements as she felt Lisbon begin to tense. "Try to block any stressful thoughts. Put work aside for a while."

"How did you know I was thinking about work?"

The spa therapist laughed as she finished up. "Most people do. Paulo will come to give you your deep canyon massage in a few moments. Most people feel comfortable lying on their stomachs with a towel covering their lower half, if you wanted to get into position while you wait."

**RUBY RESORT**

"Forensic results came back," Rigsby said as he dropped the papers on the table the used for team meetings. "Gun isn't registered, at all. It's as if it disappeared right after being made…was never even sold in a store."

"Interesting," Jane mused.

"No finger prints either, Cho. No hair. No DNA. No fibers. Generic shoe prints found at the scene…" Rigsby trailed off.

"Van Pelt," Cho turned toward the younger agent.

"Finances are clean. Phone records are clean. No criminal record. Victim was having an affair but both the wife and the girlfriend have solid alibis. Everyone this guy knew had a solid alibi. Sorry, Cho. There's nothing there."

"What about the victim from this morning?"

"Still waiting on forensics," Rigsby answered.

"Van Pelt, check the records. Rigsby, run alibis." The two retreated to their desks, leaving Cho and Jane seated at the table. "We've got nothing."

Jane took pity on him. "Stop looking at what you don't have and start looking at what you do have."

"You think we have a park serial killer. That's weak."

"Would it still be weak if I told you it wasn't even my theory?"

"Who else's would it be?"

"Lisbon."

"Lisbon's not here."

"Very astute observation, Cho. What I mean is Lisbon once worked a case with Sac PD where the only connection between the murders was the location of the murders. Same thing yesterday and today. The MO is different for each vic. There's no connection between the victims. The killer isn't part of their personal lives, work lives, or past lives. The real question is not whether these murders are related because they are; there's no doubt about that. No, the real question is where is this guy finding the victims? And, where is he killing them?"

"Lisbon's on vacation."

"Cho, did you not follow a single word I just said?"

"Lisbon's on vacation," he repeated. "Why is Lisbon working the case?"

"Cho, Lisbon isn't working the case. She's on vacation."

"Then how does she know about the case?"

"Who says she knows about the case?"

"Why else would she tell you she worked a case like this one?"

Jane sat silent for a moment, debating how much to say. "We made a deal."

"A deal?"

"A compromise. Lisbon was going to keep tabs no matter what. If I wasn't talking to Lisbon, we'd be getting anonymous phone calls from a hotel room phone." Cho seemed to weigh the argument before nodding ever so slightly. "Good. Now will you work with me and admit this is a serial killer in the making? Because this guy's going to kill again. I guarantee you we'll find another body either tonight or tomorrow morning."

"After we pull out all the stops for this morning's vic."

Jane got up and left, frustrated. "Call me if you need me," he called out behind him.

"Where are you going?" Van Pelt called out.

"To the park," he answered before disappearing around the corner. If Cho wanted to do things by the book, then that was fine. But it certainly didn't mean he had to wait to solve the case.

**RUBY RESORT**

"Hi, I am Paulo and I will be your masseur today. I see you are getting the deep canyon massage. We can do that. Tell me, where do you carry most of your stress?"

"Um, I don't know. My lower back, shoulders, and neck I guess. But, I tend to work all of my muscles. I'm a cop."

"Oh, well then we will do a full body massage then. I have had quite a few clients in law enforcement so, please, let me know I come across an old injury during our massage."

"Okay." She happily snuggled into her head into the herbal pillow and arranged herself more comfortably on the table. Her mind was completely blank with pleasure as he worked out all the knots in her back, starting at the bottom and working his way up. He massaged her shoulders, being gentle on the shoulder that she remembered O'Laughlin shot. She vaguely remembered it being a clean shot so he probably saw the small scar of the exit wound. His thumbs drew deep circles on the back of her neck, careful to put his hands lightly on the back of her head instead of near the sides of her neck (after all, cops had instincts), before he moved first to her right arm and then her left, easing the tension she hadn't even known was there.

"Ooo." Lisbon hadn't even thought about her legs until Paulo had put those magic fingers to work on her thighs. She sighed when he moved to her calves and practically purred when he put his hands to an even better use on her feet.

After his time was up, he placed warm towels on the bottom of her feet. "This is to help bring you back to the room and reality. Sofia will be back in a few moments for the Las Palmas refresher facial," he told her before leaving her alone again in the small room, her own oasis.

**RUBY RESORT**

"Forensics came back on our vic from this morning. Can't find anything specific about the knife. Seems to be a mystery to them. Same deal as before: no fingerprints; nothing broke off the knife; no DNA, hair, or fibers that didn't belong to the victim. Exact same generic shoe prints found at the scene," Rigsby finished with a sigh.

"Same here. Finances are clean. Phone records are clean. One mark on her criminal record but it was twenty years ago. She's been clean since then except for the odd speeding ticket," Van Pelt added.

"What about the alibis?" Cho asked them.

"Solid all around," Rigsby answered.

Cho sighed in defeat. "Where the hell is Jane? Someone call him and tell him he was right."

"So there's really a park serial killer?" Van Pelt asked skeptically.

"Yeah," Cho answered.

"But Jane – " Rigsby protested.

"It wasn't Jane's idea," Cho cut him off.

"If it wasn't – " Rigsby started.

"Lisbon," Cho answered.

"How – " Van Pelt started.

"She used to work a similar case," Cho answered her anticipated question.

"That's just creepy," Rigsby muttered.

"So, why don't we just call Lisbon?" Van Pelt asked.

"Not a good idea," Jane said as he walked in, taking advantage of Cho's internal debate.

"Why not?" Rigsby asked.

"Lisbon's on vacation," Jane said with a shrug as if it was obvious.

"So you get to talk to her and we don't?" Van Pelt challenged with a grin. Rigsby and Cho smirked in support.

**RUBY RESORT**

"Hi, Miss Lisbon. Did you enjoy your massage?" Sofia asked when she came back in the room.

"Yeah, I did." Lisbon smiled brightly.

"Good," Sofia smiled back as she got everything ready. "The first part of the facial is the chamomile cleansing," she explained as she worked. The product was soothing on her skin and the smell reminded her of Jane, causing her to smile softly.

"What?" Sofia inquired softly.

Lisbon smiled even bigger with closed eyes. "It smells like tea."

Sofia smiled and chuckled softly. "This next part is an exfoliation," she explained as she gently worked the product deep into Lisbon's pores in small, tight circles before sponging it away. "And this is a gel masque," she said as she smoothed the gel over Lisbon's face. "It helps to soothe the skin so it isn't too irritated as is common after facials. Now, we're just going to let that sit for a little bit while I go get the moisturizer."

Lisbon giggled when she heard the door close. "It tingles."

About ten minutes later, Sofia was washing off the gel masque. "Now, I'll just apply this moisturizer and you'll be good to go. Don't wear any makeup for 24 hours and remember to moisturize after showering. Also, make sure to drink plenty of water and stay out of the sun."

"Thank you," Lisbon said, going behind the dressing screen to change back into her clothes.

Lisbon left the spa with a smile on her face, trying to decide what to do for the rest of the day. Swimming was out of the question. She was supposed to drink a lot of water and going swimming would mean she'd have to drink even more water. Tanning was also not going to happen since she was supposed to stay out the sun. It was too early for lunch, not that she was all that hungry anyway. She only had a craving for some fresh fruit. Maybe she'd stop by one of the resort restaurants and get some fruit then head back to her room for a nap then read one of the books she brought with her.

**RUBY RESORT**

Cho looked around the park. "What are we looking for?"

"I'll know it when I see it," Jane assured as his eyes flitted from one object to the next.

"So, why were you talking to Lisbon?"

Jane laughed. "Good one, Cho. As if I was so easy."

"Or were you just lying about this being Lisbon's idea?"

"No, that was actually the truth. I know, I'm just as surprised as you are," he said, anticipating the raised eyebrow even though he couldn't see it. "Okay, why dump this specific body in this specific park?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why weren't the bodies and locations switched? Is there a connection between the victim and the park?"

"Let's go find out."

**RUBY RESORT**

Lisbon dog-eared her page in the book before picking up her cell phone. "Hi, Jane."

"Wow, I can hear the smile in your voice."

She laughed. "So, how's the case going?"

"Oh, you know how it is," he said dismissively.

"No, I don't know how it is. I'm not there, remember?"

"How could I forget?" he muttered under his breath, not knowing she'd heard him. "Well, I'm going to need proof you kept your end of the deal before I give you what you really want."

"What do you mean proof? How do you expect me to give you proof over the phone?"

"Tell me you relaxed today."

"What?"

"I can tell if you're lying over the phone."

"You cannot."

"Can to."

"Cannot."

"Can to."

"Okay, I'm not getting sucked into your childish games."

"Just tell me whether or not you relaxed today, Lisbon, and I'll decide whether or not I believe you."

"As a matter of fact, I did relax today. I didn't watch the news or check up on work at all."

"Wow, I'm impressed. Proud and impressed."

"Don't patronize me and tell me about the case."

"What, no small talk? Just straight to business? I feel so loved, Lisbon, truly."

"Uh-huh, and what was that you said about sarcasm being the lowest form of wit?"

"Cheeky, I like it. Okay, have it your way. We had another vic this morning."

"In the park?"

"Yes, different park though. Hey, did your concert killer ever kill at the same place twice?"

"Um, no but concerts are a bit different. They don't usually have a concert in the same place or even in the same town more than one night. Plus, people don't usually go to concerts when people have died there. But, the concert locations varied and they weren't always the same artists or anything."

"So, how did you catch this guy?"

"He got sloppy."

"Thankful for small miracles?"

"Always. So, is Cho still giving you a hard time?"

"Yes and no. He believes me about the serial killer at least."

"So, what? He's fighting you on a plan of yours or something?"

"No, there's no real plan yet but I'm starting to think of one."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Your team is having immense fun teasing me about our correspondence while you're gone."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, to get Cho on my side, I had to tell him that the location of the murders being the connection was your idea."

"And they teased you about not finding the connection on your own?"

"Surprisingly, no. No, they've had much more fun with the fact that you and I have been talking but I told them that it wouldn't be a good idea for them to call you about help with the case while you were on vacation."

"Now, Patrick, I thought we talked about sharing," she teased with her best mom voice. "If they need my help on the case, I could come back tomorrow and help out."

"Actually, you couldn't because you'd still be on vacation and, besides, you'd feel too guilty about your brothers wasting their money."

"Well, I've already been to the spa. What else am I supposed to do here?"

"Really? Lisbon at the spa."

"Don't be creepy."

"What did you do at the spa?"

"I got this package – uh, essential elements, includes a wrap, massage, and facial."

"Ooo la la. Something about the site of you covered in mud is quite amusing."

"Glad I can amuse you. I hate to burst your bubble though, mister, but I didn't get a mud wrap."

"Seaweed then? I'm surprised. I would have thought the cop in you would have been uneasy with being so restricted."

"Nope, no seaweed."

"It's high school band instrument all over again."

Lisbon laughed. "Why would you even think I would want a mud wrap? How is that even remotely sanitary?"

"It isn't actual mud from outside, Lisbon."

"It's still gross."

"So what was the winner then?"

"Some cream with antioxidants in it."

"Anything else interesting today?"

"No guesses?"

"Hmm. My guess is that you ate afterward or you ate before hand and got a small snack afterwards. You probably took a nap afterwards because relaxing and releasing toxins tends to make people tired. Then, I'm guessing you've been wrapped up in one of those novels you stuffed in your suitcase."

"Well, there are certain rules for after spa care."

"True, which makes my guesses that much more likely to be accurate."

"True. So, what are you going to do about the case?"

"See if I can get Rigsby and Van Pelt to pose as a couple at the park I think is the one after next."

"Two things. Why to the first part? And why the one _after_ next instead of the next one?"

"Because, despite the difficulty in finding physical evidence, I'm convinced the killer is spotting the victims in the specific parks they're being dumped in even though they're being killed in other places. And as for why the one after next, I'm almost positive there will be another body in a new park tomorrow morning."

"And with tomorrow morning in mind, you should get some sleep if you're going to tackle a serial killer."

"Always worrying."

"You don't sleep enough. Can't have CBI's top consultant being pulled from active duty due to exhaustion."

"Meh."

"And what about sleep deprivation psychosis?"

"Cheap tricks, Lisbon, cheap tricks."

"Go to sleep, Patrick Jane."

"Sleep well, Teresa."

"Sleep well, Patrick." She softly hung up the phone and sighed, waiting a beat before getting ready for bed.


	4. Tuesday

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Mentalist.**

**So, I'm moving my plot forward a couple of days because the original plan was going slower than I would have liked. Then, I've added this whole twist that I hadn't planned! Hope you guys like where it goes :) And, no, I haven't abandoned you, my readers, or this story.**

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><p>Tuesday<p>

Jane watched Lisbon sigh from the other side of the table. It was a side of the table she didn't belong on, at least in his opinion. Others apparently had different ideas. He thought of Darcy behind the one way mirror. The FBI agent knew no bounds when it came to muddling. It made him angry. But he wasn't just angry. Dread filled his whole body, a dread that had started in his heart when he woke up this morning.

**RUBY RESORT**

_Jane's eyes snapped open. He took a few moments to will the red smiley images from his mind before he strode to the break room for his usual morning cup of tea. He was surprised to find the team already in the bullpen._

"_Body found in River Bend Park," Cho said as he grabbed his jacket. "Not you, Jane," he said as the consultant started after his departing colleagues. The three stopped short and faced their temporary boss. "You and I are going to Palm Springs."_

"_Oh, you flatter me," he said cheekily as he put his hand to his heart._

"_Wait, why are you guys going to Palm Springs?" Van Pelt asked._

"_Maid found a body in a spa resort room. Looks like Red John," Cho answered._

"_Wait," Rigsby interjected, "I thought Red John was dead."_

"_Probably just a copy cat. Rigsby, you're in charge while we're gone. Come on, Jane, let's go," Cho directed on his way to the elevator._

_Jane looked at his temporary leader as they rode the elevator down. He didn't want to know but he had to ask. "What resort are we going to?"_

"_Ranchos Las Palmas." And there was the dread._

**RUBY RESORT**

He'd felt sure of it the moment he heard it was Palm Springs. He couldn't have let Lisbon go for a week without knowing where she was. So, he'd snuck a peek at her ticket when he'd picked her up Sunday afternoon to give her a ride to the airport. He'd been even more sure when he found out it was at the same resort she was staying at. But, he'd known for sure when he and Cho had opened the door to the resort room and saw the grim smile staring back at him mockingly. The blood painted on her toe nails was certainly the icing on the Red John cake. He hadn't needed to see the note the maid had handed to him to know what was already so clear.

**RUBY RESORT**

"_I found this – uh – _carta_ on the door before I walk in," the maid said, holding a letter out to them. Cho grabbed it with a gloved hand, glanced at it, and placed it in a plastic bag before handing it to Jane. The consultant took it warily, read it three times before glancing at the dead woman lying on the bed, and practically ran out of the resort room._

**RUBY RESORT**

He had run. He'd had no choice but to run. He'd tried to get her to run as well. But she hadn't, of course. Loyal Lisbon, always having faith in the system…always wanting to do things the right way.

**RUBY RESORT**

"_Excuse me, can I get a cup of Earl Grey, please? Thank you."_

_Lisbon smiled at the familiar voice asking the waitress for a cup of tea as a figure sat down next to her. "You just could not stay away, could you?" she teased, turning to see Jane in his three piece suit glory even in the Southern California heat._

_He fixed her with one his intense stares. "Lisbon, we need to get you out of here and in a safe house."_

"_Excuse me?" She looked at him incredulously. "Jane, what are you talking about? And why are you even here? I know you have a tendency to leave the CBI during cases but Palm Springs is a bit far, don't you think?" She joked, laughing a little to herself._

"_Remember our deal about you relaxing and me telling you what was going on at work?"_

"_Yeah…" She drew out, not sure where he was going with this._

"_Well, I'm modifying it. You run to a safe house and I'll tell you everything."_

"_Or you can tell me everything now."_

"_Or we can all talk downtown at the police department." They both looked up to see the ever stoic Cho giving them his usual stone-faced look. "Hey Boss." If he was surprised to see Lisbon, he certainly didn't show it, staying true to his nature._

**RUBY RESORT**

"Are you really going to sit there and not say anything?" Lisbon's voice brought him back to the room and reality at hand. She looked exhausted.

"What would you like me to say, Lisbon?" He asked, never breaking his stare.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe the same thing that you do with all the suspects?" She raised an eyebrow at him. It unnerved her that he wasn't acting like himself.

"I don't try to trick innocent people," he deflected.

"Do you _always_ assume the innocence or guilt of a person of interest?" She mused. It was her last shot at normalcy.

"Lisbon, you're not Red John. I don't care what Darcy says. Nor are you one of Red John's disciples."

She sighed, giving up on trying to laugh this off. "Well, that makes two of us, Jane. But, that's going to be really hard to prove. None of your tricks are going to work this time. I already know the poem because you already told me it."

"Since when do you give up, Lisbon?"

"Since Darcy made me realize she has me right where she wants me," she answered with a cool look.

**RUBY RESORT**

"_Agent Lisbon, you are familiar with the details of the Red John case, are you not?"_

"_As I am the lead agent in charge of the case, yes, I would say I am familiar with the details of that case."_

"_And you are aware of the special details surrounding the murders of Angela and Charlotte Jane, are you not?"_

"_I am."_

**RUBY RESORT**

"Darcy has nothing!" His yell filled the small interrogation room.

"Do you want to know why she thinks I did it, Jane?" Lisbon stood and yelled back. "I know all the details of the Red John case. She claims that I know enough to make it look like a Red John murder."

"It's your case." He waved a hand dismissively as he turned away, walked a little, and turned back to face her. "How could you not know the details? Easily countered. Besides, you've worked other serial killer cases where the killer was never caught. Why Red John?"

"To screw with you, apparently." She sat back down heavily. "Darcy asked me if I knew the 'special details' surrounding the deaths of Angela and Charlotte. So, I'm guessing that poor woman had her toe nails painted with her own blood." She glared at him as he stood in silence. "Tell me I'm wrong, Jane."

"Yes, they were and yes, you knew those details ahead of time because you worked that case. Again, easily explained and it isn't the only connection to my family's murders."

"He left you another note?" He nodded and watched her visibly swallow. "Can I see it?" He almost wondered if he was imagining that tone in her voice, the one that wanted him to say no. He shook his head and saw her shoulders visibly relax and lower a few centimeters. So he hadn't imagined it. "Well, that isn't the only card she's playing. After all, I was there at the same resort. Hell, I even knew the victim. Well, sort of. She took the room that was technically supposed to be mine."

"Lisbon," he tried and failed to get her attention as she continued to ramble.

"But, like I told you the other night, my brothers wouldn't mind. I never did thank them and it was so sweet. They sent me a note and everything. I didn't fight it because it seemed to mean a lot to them. They were just trying to do something nice for me."

"Lisbon," he tried again, a little louder.

"They know how much my job stresses me out and they thought it would be nice and because they never answered their phone, I may never get to thank them if Darcy gets her way and puts me in jail."

"Lisbon!" She finally stopped and looked up at him. "That's all circumstantial. There's no proof you were ever even in that room."

"True. But as an agent, Jane, I know she's going to suggest that I'm smart enough to wear gloves and not leave footprints or DNA."

"So we wait for the ME to determine time of death and I guarantee you, Lisbon, that we were on the phone at the time she was killed."

"You know that and I know that but Agent Darcy can't know that."

He scrunched his face up in confusion. "Why not?"

"Jane, she thinks you're either Red John himself or one of his disciples. Since I was at the resort and you weren't, she now thinks I'm just doing your bidding…OR she thinks it's me now instead of you. Either way, you aren't exactly the most reliable alibi. Even if they pulled my phone records and proved that I talked to you, everyone in this building knows that you'd lie for me in a heartbeat and Darcy will claim that you told me to do it when you called or you stayed on the phone and walked me through exactly how to make it look like Red John."

"I admit it looks bleak…" he assented.

"Bleak?" She balked at him.

He ignored her interruption. "But you can't go to jail. One, you didn't kill that girl. Two, the only connection you have to Red John is the fact that Minelli placed that case file in your hand. Three, jail isn't safe. Red John meant to kill you that night. He said it in the letter he left me. The computer mix up was fate. How much are you willing to bet that reservation wasn't made under any of your three brothers?"

For the first time since Cho had interrupted them that morning, Jane was greeted with a smile and green eyes that now sparkled, a grand contrast to the dull eyes that had been staring back at him. "Never in my life would I bet against you, Patrick Jane." Her smile never left as she softly shook her head when he eagerly jumped out of his chair and fled from the room, circling back to press a short kiss to her hair and run out screaming their youngest agent's name.

"Van Pelt!" The team all turned to see Jane running toward them. "Who paid for the room our vic was in?"

"Um…" She turned to hit a few keys on her computer. "Oh, here! Room was reserved by a Ross O'Fulvo." She typed the name into the database and looked up at the others with a frown. "He doesn't exist, not in our database, anyway."

"Try Google," Cho instructed.

"Okay." She typed it in. "This is weird. No name of Ross O'Fulvo but I found this translation website. Apparently _rosso_ and _fulvo_ are both Italian for – "

"Red," the three men finished for her.

"Yeah," she said, eyeing them strangely. "But Red John is – "

"Red John isn't dead," Jane finally told them.

"But you said – " Van Pelt started.

"Yeah, I know what I said."

"Does Lisbon know?" Cho asked. Jane seemed to weigh his options, making the three team members anxious. "Jane…" he warned.

"Yes, BUT she's only an accessory after the fact."

"The Boss kept secrets from us." Van Pelt frowned.

"Yes, much like Cho's keeping his relationship with Summer and his incident with the pain pills a secret from Lisbon, and Wayne's keeping his pregnant girlfriend a secret from Lisbon, and Van Pelt didn't tell Lisbon that she saw a hallucination of her dead fiancé when she was lost on that case a while back. We're all keeping secrets but the bigger issue is that Lisbon is currently being targeted for keeping my secret."

"What's the plan?" Cho asked, all in (as usual) to save the boss.

"This one is going to be all about actual police work this time, believe it or not. Now, thanks to Van Pelt, we already know that Lisbon's brothers didn't pay or reserve that room for her. Next step is break into Lisbon's apartment."

"You're on your own on that one," Cho crossed his arms defiantly.

"Why do you need to break into Lisbon's apartment?" Rigsby asked.

"We, Rigsby," Jane corrected. "I need someone else with me to prove I didn't forge the note Lisbon's brothers sent her since apparently, and I quote, 'everyone in this building knows I'd lie for Lisbon in a heartbeat'. Lisbon thought the note was sweet and she is sentimental enough to have kept it, despite the tough front she puts up at work. While Rigsby and I are gone, I need you two to find out where her brothers are. Since she got their present, she hasn't been able to get a hold of them."

"You think he went after them?" Van Pelt asked.

"Eh," he tilted his head slightly from side to side, debating the likelihood. "Possible, but my guess is that he just rerouted their numbers or something less dramatic. He doesn't take as much pleasure in killing men as women and this wasn't about hurting her by hurting her brothers. It was about killing her to hurt me."

"So we should keep an eye on the boss too?" Cho asked.

"Yeah," Jane answered.

"Jane!" Cho called out. The consultant turned to face him with a roll of his eyes, impatient to catch a flight back to Sacramento. "Who else knew Lisbon was going to be at that resort?"

"Good question, Cho. Find out," he instructed before leaving.

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><p><strong>There's more to come but I wanted you all to see this to know I didn't give up on this story, just got busy with life. And as always, thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed.<strong>


	5. Tuesday  part 2

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**So, I realized as soon as I submitted the last chapter that I made a mistake with Rigsby and Van Pelt being in two places at once so I added some explanation that I hadn't anticipated but fit in pretty nicely. Thanks to all the readers and for all the reviews! You guys are awesome :) Short chapter but I did mention last time that we weren't done with Tuesday. Enjoy!**

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><p>Tuesday – part 2<p>

"I'm really getting tired of flying," Rigsby complained as Jane focused on picking the lock on Lisbon's apartment front door.

"Why did you and Van Pelt fly down to Palm Springs anyway?" Jane asked without looking up at him.

"Cho called us when you ran. He said Lisbon was in trouble." He paused to try and catch a reaction from Jane, failing as usual when the mask never slipped. "So, Red John isn't really dead. Lisbon knows. And has known since…"

Jane chuckled. "Nice try but I'm not telling you that." He tried the door knob and smiled triumphantly when the door cracked open.

Rigsby rolled his eyes and followed the consultant into his boss's apartment. "So, that means Red John actually made a mistake then! His letter referred to Lisbon as dead but he didn't kill Lisbon."

"Which is exactly why Cho needs to keep an eye on her," Jane pointed out the grim reality as he looked around for the letter Lisbon received from her brothers. "Red John never makes mistakes and he's not going to leave Lisbon alive."

Rigsby remained standing near the door, unable to bring himself to cross that particular boundary."Jane, why didn't Red John know it was someone else? Why did he still think it was Lisbon?"

"Red John attacks at night. It would be kind of dumb for a killer to turn the light on, wouldn't it? The victim and Lisbon are just similar enough not to know the difference in the dark."

"So, where does Darcy come into this?"

Jane paused for a millisecond. "I forced Red John out of hiding to kill Panzer when I conned Panzer into talking badly about Red John on television just as I did." He picked up a piece of paper on top of an envelope and waved it with a smug grin. "Found it!"

"You used a serial killer to kill another serial killer?"

Jane waved the letter through the air as he explained. "Well, sort of…yes. Anyway, that's not the point. Darcy had just been given the Panzer case before his death so she began looking into it, causing Red John to target her. Instead of telling her the truth like Lisbon told me to, I covered it to make it look like a dead guy killed Panzer and copycatted Red John thus throwing Darcy off the trail and getting Red John to back off. But, Darcy was on to me and got me to leave the CBI to join her on a case so she could try to read me. Lisbon made me tell Darcy the truth about Red John not being dead then Darcy accused me of either being Red John or one of his disciples. Now that Red John has killed again near Lisbon, who could be a copy cat or the real deal for more than one reason, Darcy is now targeting Lisbon…or both me and Lisbon. I haven't quite narrowed that down quite yet."

"Do you hear yourself when you talk or do you just tune yourself out? Seriously, who talks like that? Who can follow that?"

"Lisbon usually does," he remarked more to himself.

Rigsby sighed. "We can't all be Lisbon."

"No, they can't," he muttered under his breath, thinking the tall agent hadn't heard him. Rigsby frowned in confusion at the consultant's choice of pronoun. He opened his mouth to question before Jane's phone rang. "Hey, Cho. I found the letter." Rigsby could hear Cho's voice on the other end but couldn't make out what he said that caused Patrick Jane's mask to slip ever so slightly. "Of course she did. We'll go talk to him. In the mean time, do not let her out of your sight. I don't care what she says. Lisbon cannot protect herself if Red John wants to get to her," he said before hanging up the phone.

"What's going on?" Rigsby asked, standing outside Lisbon's apartment as Jane set it to relock and closed it behind them.

"Only one other person other than myself knew Lisbon was going to that resort," Jane explained as they hurried to the car.

"Who?"

"Wainwright."

"You think he's another mole?" Rigsby asked as they slipped inside and sped off in the direction of the CBI.

"I don't know. If you were Red John, would you trust the loyal family Lisbon to win over or the workaholic Lisbon? Or would you have a backup keeping watch over her? Over us…"

Rigsby sighed. "You're right. Always expect the unexpected and always have a backup."

"By the way, how did the investigation go with the body found at the park?" Jane asked as he parked his Citroen at the CBI.

Rigsby sighed as he followed Jane to the building. "Same as the others. We've got nothing."

"Ah. No worries. We'll get right to it as soon as we straighten out this messy business with Lisbon."

"Do you have any idea who this new serial killer is?"

"No. But not to worry, we'll figure it out before California runs out of state parks," Jane chuckled slightly as the elevator doors closed. They wordlessly made their way to Wainwright's office as the doors opened on their floor.

Rigsby knocked on the door. "Chief Wainwright?" He looked to Jane when there was no answer.

Jane knocked on the door. "Luther? It's Patrick Jane. We need to talk." They exchanged looks when they received no answer. Jane opened the door to reveal the vacant office. He sighed and pulled out his phone. "Cho, Wainwright's gone. What do you mean 'what do I mean he's gone'? He's gone. What other meaning could that have?" He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you're right. Someone must have tipped him off but who?" He thought for a moment. "Cho, did Lisbon tell you about Wainwright while she was in the interrogation room?" Jane hit the wall hard with his hand. "Darcy was listening. She must have called him. I don't know if she warned him or if she was just going to question him. I gotta go."

"What do we do now?" Rigsby asked as soon as Jane hung up the phone.

"We do nothing," he answered after a long bout of silence.

"Nothing?" Rigsby looked confused.

"Nothing. Lisbon's going to have to run just like Hightower."

"That's it? You don't have a plan?"

"Well, of course I have a plan, Rigsby. But it's too dangerous. We can't do it."

"What do you mean 'we can't do it'? Jane, we've gone through plenty of your plans before and most of them were dangerous and usually ended up with someone hurt."

"This is different."

"How?"

"Lisbon could die."

"Yeah, and she could've died last night or during any of your plans or any day on the job. She could've died every time she crossed the street or every time she boarded a plane or drove in a car. People die, Jane. That's life. Lisbon puts her life on the line all the time. This is no different."

Jane sighed. "I don't like it."

"Let her decide for once."

"Fine," he consented agitatedly before walking off.

Rigsby pulled out his cell as he watched Jane walk away. "Cho, we've got a plan."


	6. Wednesday

**Disclaimer: I think we've covered this already…**

**Thanks as always to those who read and review!**

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><p>Wednesday<p>

"I don't run from danger, Jane."

Jane sighed impatiently. They were wasting precious time. He'd flown back and told Cho everything before leaving the agent to explain the situation to Agent Darcy. He'd then tried to sneak a resistant Lisbon out of the building only to remain stuck in this room, repeating the same argument.

"No, you run toward it…and people say _I'm_ a masochist." He turned to face her and titled his head to the side with a pensive expression. "Really, why do you cops all ignore instincts of survival just to play hero?"

"Don't change the subject and tell me the plan." The fierce little woman wasn't budging. She was also banking on his history for creative ways of catching the bad guys.

"What plan?" He feigned ignorance.

"The truth or I beat it out of you." He simply sat and stared silently at her in a battle of wills. "What else do I have left to fight for, Jane? This is the last shot for me or Darcy is going to haul my ass to jail and Ardiles is going to do his best to keep me there."

"Ardiles isn't _that_ good. Besides, he dislikes me, not you."

"I wouldn't be so sure. He told me a while back that you weren't the problem. I was," Lisbon countered.

"What?" He scrunched his face up in disbelief. "When?"

"When you wanted to prove Eve Mulberry's innocence."

"Is that why you were so testy? Lisbon, why didn't you tell me? I can handle Ardiles."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't need you to fight my battles, Jane. Not then and not now. So, if you're not going to tell me what the hell is going on, then I'm going to go figure this out on my own. I'm assuming Wainwright's missing?"

"Yes, he is." He admitted quietly.

They were interrupted as Cho opened the door. "Hey, Boss. Darcy says you're free to go."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's got nothing to hold you on."

"Since when has that stopped Agent Darcy?" Jane piped up.

"Since I've had a few friends in high places leaning on her," Cho answered with a smirk.

"Higher than the FBI?" Lisbon asked, impressed.

"Political friends."

"Great. I'm going to go look for Wainwright," she told Jane as she made her way toward Cho.

Jane gently grabbed her wrist as she breezed past him. "Lisbon."

"With or without you, Jane."

Jane sighed. "Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of."

"What?" Lisbon scrunched her face up in confusion.

"Jane think his plan is gonna get you killed," Cho answered.

Lisbon spun around to face the consultant and he couldn't help but feel as if he was about to be lectured by his mother. "Jane, do you remember when I got shot by O'Laughlin?"

"You really going to make me relive that?"

"And what did I do after that?"

"Well, you were silent for some time – "

"Jane!"

Jane sighed exasperatedly. "Are you talking about calling Timothy Carter after I asked you to?"

"Yes. How many times do I have to tell you? We're all in this together. I'm a state agent, Jane. It is my job to be in danger in order to stop those who put others in danger. So, get your act together and tell us this plan – "

She was cut off by the shrill ringing of Cho's phone. The duo watched as he answered it. "Hey, Rigsby."

Lisbon turned to Jane. "Rigsby didn't come down with you?"

"Uh, no. There was another body found, Ancil Hoffman Park. Cho sent Van Pelt back up there to help him."

"You still haven't solved that state park serial killer? You're useless without me." He recalled himself saying those same words when he'd been off solving a case with Darcy.

"Well, I've been a little busy. But as soon as we're done with Red John, I'm going to find the little prick."

"Prick?"

"This guy's annoying me, Lisbon. The Red John case is really important to me and this guy just won't stop while I'm doing this. I'm busy and he can't just respect that."

"Yeah, criminals are selfish like that," she said dryly.

"Tell me about it," Jane agreed, ignoring her sarcastic tone.

"We've got a problem." The pair turned to Cho. "Rigsby just got a call from Sac PD. They found Wainwright's body."

Lisbon turned to Jane with an almost inaudible gasp. "He was running from Red John."

"Or Red John's man," Cho added.

"He was a spy for one of Red John's associates," Jane said, angry with himself for not realizing sooner.

"But who?" Lisbon asked. She and Cho looked toward where they knew Darcy was.

Jane followed their gaze and shook his head. "No, she's naïve and misled in her theories but I don't think she's actually connected to him."

"Bertram," Lisbon whispered. The two men turned to her. "Red John had more than one mole. Of course, why woudn't he?" She threw her hand in the air, frustrated, and paced a bit before Jane reached out and stopped her.

"Lisbon, we should celebrate. You're alive. You were meant to be dead a couple of days ago. We should celebrate your life." He walked out of the interrogation room, pulling out his phone. "Hi, I'd like to make reservations for tonight…"

"Why do I always feel like I'm missing something when Jane's talking?" Lisbon asked Cho, who merely grunted in agreement before stalking off.

* * *

><p>Patrick Jane sat at the bar of the bluEmber, swirling the amber liquid in his glass as he waited. He covered his nerves with his trademark smile. It was a good plan. It had a chance of working. Yes, it felt a little odd not telling Lisbon the plan. But, as a cop, she'd be too on edge, too alert if he told her that she was basically the bait in a trap for Red John. If she knew, she'd be looking around and waiting for the man to pop up. So, no, he hadn't told her but he had told Cho. It safer that way but it still made things feel a little off. He told himself that was the reason for his nerves; the fact Lisbon was going to show up in a dress to meet him for what would appear to be a date had nothing to do with him feeling nervous.<p>

He knocked back the drink. "Easy there, tiger," the familiar, husky, feminine voice teased. "A girl might actually think this is a date with how nervous you look." He chuckled and placed the glass down, turning to face her.

His easy smile slipped as he noticed the forest green, strapless dress she was wearing. He almost didn't notice the black pumps and the familiar gold cross necklace that completed the ensemble. "A guy might think this is a date with how amazing you look in that dress," he retorted, not even noticing her make-up as his eyes roamed over her.

"Well, this is a nice place and it's the only dress I packed. And yes, I know it's a bit short and revealing, but – "

"No. No, no, no. This is good," he assured her as he stood and placed his hand on her bare, lower back. He glanced down to see nearly all of her back exposed and took a few breaths to stabilize himself before leading her to their table.

Lisbon missed the jealous glares as she studiously avoided Jane, lest he see her bemused smile. Was the consultant actually attracted to a woman after nearly a decade of avoiding them? Her smile widened and she fought to keep herself from chuckling when a chilling thought wiped the grin right off her face. Was Jane attracted to her? Suddenly she couldn't remember how to breathe and she had an indescribable urge to run far away. She glanced at this now frightening man who wore a curious expression as he sat across the table from her. She absentmindedly wondered when she had sat down and how much time he'd had to read the fear in her eyes. Judging from his expression, he'd not figured out the reason behind it. She flashed him a nervous smile and hoped he'd chalk it up to her being uncomfortable dressing up.

His features relaxed but it was obvious he'd not completely forgotten it. "I've already ordered you the lamb," he stated as their waiter returned.

Lisbon raised an eyebrow and quirked her lips but didn't hesitate to taste the dish with closed eyes and a satisfied, soft moan that made Jane swallow and squirm slightly in his seat. He pushed it once again from his mind as he focused on his dinner. It was the romance of the setting, nothing else. It was the fitting dress, the fancy shoes… the eye shadow that made her eyes smolder… the way he'd been forced to play the part and touch her bare back… the way her raven curls fell perfectly… the sensual way she ate… the way that shade of lipstick was calling his name… Boy, was he in over his head. Was it hot in here? Was he going to start hyperventilating?

"Jane?"

His eyes snapped back to her concerned ones and he immediately smiled, because some things would never change. "I'm fine, Lisbon."

She didn't fully believe him but let it slide. "So, what about that whole plan of yours? Don't think I've forgotten about it."

"Ah, yes, that. Well, you see, it's a bit difficult to explain."

"We're in the middle of it now, aren't we?" she asked dryly.

"I wouldn't exactly say the middle, per se."

"Jane."

He sighed. "Okay, yes, but – "

"But nothing. How many times have I told you that it's safer for you to tell me these things ahead of time? Besides, you've been telling me a lot of things lately…up until Red John tried to kill me. Don't you trust me?" She turned hurt eyes toward him. The pain was almost enough to break him.

"With my life, Lisbon! You know that! Look, this plan requires you to act as if there is no plan and no threat or danger. So, it was best if you didn't know the plan. Now, can we forget this conversation ever happened and enjoy our lovely meal? We can even continue it afterward if you want. But, for now, I suggest you eat all your vegetables if you want your birthday cake. That's right. I said birthday cake," he commented when she perked up with interest.

* * *

><p>"So, you enjoyed dinner then?" Jane asked as they strolled through the resort.<p>

Lisbon sent him a smile. "I did, although the candle in the crème brulee may have been a bit much."

"It's your birthday," he responded as if the ridiculous gesture was to be expected.

"I suppose that's what I get for having my birthday dinner with a man who wears three piece suits," she teased. He smiled and shook his head before noticing she'd stopped.

He turned to find her shedding her black pumps and gracefully sitting beside the pool, dipping a toe in before swinging both legs in the cool water. She looked up at him with an innocent expression. His smile returned and he sat beside her, facing the opposite way, his back to the pool. He reached a hand up and brushed her dark locks away so he could see her face more clearly, enjoying her blush. "You look beautiful tonight, Teresa."

"Thanks. You don't look bad yourself," she quipped lightly, but it didn't break his intense stare. He began to lean slowly forward, as if unsure whether to take the plunge. "Patrick," she whispered, her eyes nearly closed. She wanted to let him know he didn't have to, that she could wait. She wanted to let him know so many things but all she could get to come out was his name, a single word before soft, supple lips caressed her own in a kiss that ended much too soon. Those wonderful lips were soon wrenched from her own and she felt a blinding pain from the back of her head. She heard a faint splash and felt a crushing weight on top of her before everything went black.

**Oh! So unfair, I know. I said that I wasn't going to hurt Lisbon and then I did. As with everything that's happened, I didn't intend for this to happen. With that said, I saw an opportunity for a lead into another story I was working on and I took it. Next chapter will wrap things up for BOTH cases, and provide a bit of a prologue into the next story. So, there WILL be a sequel!**


	7. Thursday

**Disclaimer: If I owned the show, I'd know who Red John was.**

**My goodness, this story has been a lot like writing a roller coaster, my loyal readers. But I thank you for sticking with it and sticking with me as I threw you curveball after curveball. Hope you all like this last chapter!**

* * *

><p>Thursday<p>

"Hey." Jane turned to see Cho walking up to him in the hospital waiting room. "How's she doing?"

Jane sighed and hung his head, shaking it slowly. He ran a hand over his face, exhaustion clear on his features. "I don't know. As far as I can tell, she's fine or she _will be_ fine. The only information I can really get out of the staff is that she isn't dead. She hasn't coded since she's been here so I guess that's a good thing. You know she wasn't breathing when you pulled her out."

"Yeah, I got her breathing again right before you climbed out." He glanced at the consultant's still damp hair and nearly asked how he was doing but refrained, knowing he wouldn't get a true answer.

"Yeah. According to the doctors, the blow to the back of her head knocked her out before she hit the water so she couldn't stop herself from nearly drowning." He let out a mirthless laugh. "You know she hates not being in control. It would kill her to know she had no control for …"

Cho clapped a hand on Jane's shoulder when he trailed off. "She's going to come out of this. The doctors will do everything they can. She'll wake up. And when she does, she'll be able to brag about how Rigsby and Van Pelt solved a case without you."

He perked up at that. "What?"

"Yeah. Latest victim of the park serial killer was found in American River Parkway."

"New place. New method?"

"Yeah, this guy's yet to repeat himself. His only mistake was leaving DNA this time. Victim fought back and the perp forgot to clean out the skin underneath her fingernails. Rigsby's working on a confession right now."

"Name?"

* * *

><p>"Matthew Wildner. Assault, driving under the influence, vandalism, petty theft. That's quite a rap sheet. Care to add murder to it?" Rigsby sat on the table next to the seemingly normal middle aged man.<p>

"And just who did I murder?" He looked up with a cold smile. "Agent?"

Rigsby stood and moved to the other side of the table. He dropped the crime scene photos on the table in front of Wildner. "Kurt Salais, shot and dumped in William Land Park."

"He was an adulterer," he responded calmly.

"How did you know?" Rigsby lifted his head slightly in challenge.

"I saw him meet her in the park," he shrugged ever so slightly.

"Odessa McWhirter, stabbed and dumped in Discovery Park," Rigsby moved on.

"She had an abortion," Wildner informed.

"You sure?" It was a quiet challenge.

"She was pregnant, visibly so, and then she suddenly wasn't. How else would you explain that, Agent?" He explained as if talking to a particularly slow child.

"Max Obanion, drowned and dumped in River Bend Park." Rigsby moved on with his jaw slightly clenched.

"A common drunk," Wildner retorted.

"Marcie Dorminey, burned and dumped in Ancil Hoffman Park."

"She was a prostitute."

"She was a teenager," Rigsby countered.

"She was loose." Wildner's icy stare only served to anger the tall agent further.

"Kelly Foye, strangled and found hanging from a tree in American River Parkway."

"The epitome of greed and pride." They sat in challenging silence for a while, Wildner's icy stare and cold and creepy calm never failing. Rigsby fought to keep the disgust from showing on his face, shooting for intimidation instead.

Rigsby finally broke the silence. "By the way, Odessa McWhirter didn't get an abortion. She had a miscarriage. You killed an innocent woman for no reason, even using _your_ twisted logic."

Wildner's face fell with a frown for a few seconds before his calm mask was back in place. "My logic may be twisted, Agent, but I don't believe I ever actually confessed to murder, now did I?"

"We won't need your confession now that we've found where you killed your victims." He set the trap.

"You would've needed a warrant to search my house so it'll never hold up in court," he smirked.

"And now we have a nice reason to tell the judge who will gladly sign off on it. Thanks, Wildner." Rigsby left with a victorious smile.

* * *

><p>"What did you guys find out about the letter Lisbon's brothers supposedly sent her?"<p>

"No fingerprints but Lisbon's and yours from when you found it. The court will believe that her brothers don't know enough on how to wipe something like a letter completely clean," Cho answered.

"By the way, did you ever find Lisbon's brothers? I've been a little busy lately and forgot to ask," Jane gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"Yeah, they're fine. Had no idea about any spa resort and I think two of them actually forgot it was her birthday. Tommy called her home phone but she had already left town by then."

"How much did you tell them?"

"Not much."

"Annie freak out?"

"A little."

Jane sighed. "I should probably call her later."

"I'd wait for Lisbon to wake up first. That way you wouldn't be lying."

"Because that's such a stretch for me?" Jane gave a half-smile.

"Given that you like Annie, yeah, it is."

"I like Lisbon and I lie to her all the time," he pointed out.

"You like Lisbon?" Cho asked with a small smirk.

"Not what I said, not what I meant, and you know it."

Cho smiled a rare, big smile. "Yeah, never would've guessed with that kiss you guys shared by the pool right before the shit hit the fan."

Jane winced at the memory. "He's in jail then?" he asked softly.

"Yeah."

"He says he's Red John?"

"Yeah, and that's the only thing he's saying." Cho hesitated, debating how much to say. "He wants to talk to you."

"I bet."

"She would understand, you know."

"She shouldn't have to," he ground out angrily.

"This isn't your fault, Jane."

"The hell it isn't." The consultant stood and made his way to Lisbon's room. He watched Lisbon talk to the nurse as she sat up in the hospital bed. She seemed animated for someone who'd nearly died but he silently decided to blame it on the morphine. The nurse walked out of the room, leaving Lisbon alone. He knew a chance when he saw it and took advantage of it.

He walked into the hospital room to see her sitting up in the bed, playing with the remote to the tiny TV. She noticed him and smiled a big smile he'd never seen before, turning off the TV and putting the remote aside. Something didn't seem right but he shook it off, chalking it up to the fact that she had just died and come back to life in front of his eyes.

"Hi," she greeted, her eyes roaming not so subtly over him.

"Hey." He strolled in with his hands in his pockets. "How are you feeling?"

She laughed. "Is that a trick question? I mean, I am in a hospital."

"Yes, silly question." He sat on the end of the bed.

"Alright," she sighed in faux exasperation and playfully rolled her eyes. "I'm feeling just fine."

"Yes, exceptionally fine for someone who just nearly died. Those must be some powerful pain meds. I noticed you didn't even come close to biting off the nurse's head just now."

She tilted her head to the side and scrunched her eyebrows together in such an adorable expression that it made Jane smile. "Why would I do that? I like nurses. My mom is a nurse, actually…probably has something to do with why I like them," she added as an afterthought.

Jane's smile froze on his face. He felt ice in his veins as he treaded cautiously. "Your mom is a nurse?" He struggled not to emphasize her use of the present tense. Something was off.

"Yeah, back in Chicago. Why?"

He scanned her features and schooled his own as panic set in. "Just making conversation."

"Okay, well now that I've answered your questions, will you answer one of mine?"

"Sure. What's the question?"

"Who are you?" His heart stopped. What alternate world was she living in? "I mean, you're not dressed like one of the doctors or nurses. You're looking at me kind of like a cop but you're certainly not dressed like any cop I've ever seen. To be quite honest, I've never seen a man dressed in a three-piece suit. Are you the local shrink or something?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"You have no idea who I am, Teresa." It was half-way between a question and a statement.

"No," she smiled back. "Am I supposed to?"

Jane reached forward and encircled her wrist, ignoring the amused look Lisbon sent him and finding her pulse. "Teresa, what are you doing in California?"

She shrugged. "On vacation, I guess?"

"Vacation?"

"Well, yeah." She let out a small laugh. "I couldn't move away from Chicago. I love my parents. I don't think I could stand to be too far away from them."

Cho walked in as Jane forgot how to breathe. "Hey Boss."

"Boss?" Lisbon laughed incredulously. "As if. Like I'd ever really be a cop."

The two men exchanged worried looks and Jane hung his head slightly. Jane sighed softly and stood. "Cho, I'll meet you outside and we'll go talk to the doctor." The agent nodded stiffly left. Jane turned to Lisbon and took her hand. "Teresa, we'll be right back. Please, do me a favor. Don't go anywhere just yet. We all need to talk about this."

She raised a curious eyebrow but nodded, watching as the strange man in the three-piece suit left.

* * *

><p><strong>And, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: Fugue in Green. Clever? No? Well, maybe it's been done before and maybe it hasn't. Wasn't quite sure where exactly to cut it off. Let me know what you guys think and I hope to see you at the sequel!<strong>


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